Dub vs Flink
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted url shorteners options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Dub
Open-source link management platform
VS
Flink
Create QR Codes, embeddable link previews for your website and
| Feature | Dub | Flink |
|---|---|---|
| Category | URL Shorteners | URL Shorteners |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | TypeScript | Docker |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 24,245 | — |
| First released | 2022 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Bitly, Rebrandly | — |
Why pick each one
Choose Flink if…
- Released under the MIT license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Docker
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Dub or Flink better?
Neither is universally better. Dub has the larger community, while Flink is simpler to set up (medium difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Dub and Flink free and open-source?
Yes. Dub is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Flink under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Dub and Flink with Docker?
Dub: yes. Flink: yes.